Ceiling luminaire



April 4, 1967 J. MULLER ETAL 3,

CEILING LUMINAIRE Filed March 30, l964 7 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.|.

lnve ntors= Josef Muller, Harold Riegler,

By MM Attorney April 4, 1967 J. MULLER ETAL CEILING LUMINAIRE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 50. 1964 Fig. 20

l nvenfors= Josef Muller, Harold Rie By gler,

Attorney April 4, 1967 J. MULLER ETAL 3,312,816

CEILING LUMINAIRE Filed March 30, 1964 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.3.

I (1111 I, 1 (ii |nventors= Josef MUlle'r, Harold Riegler,

BY MM Attorney April 4, 1967 J. MULLER ETAL 3,312,816

CEILING LUMINAIRE Filed March 30, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.4.

4 n i u I Inventors= Josef Muller,

M Hogrold Riegler, By AM 7 W Attorney CEILING LUMINAIRE Filed March so. 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.5.

lnvenfors= Josef M'L'lller, Harold Rieg ler,

By A tforney April 4, 1967 Filed March 30, 1964 J. MULLER ETAL CEILING LUMINAIRE Fig.6.

7 Sheets-Sheet 6 I! II r 1111 Inventors= Josef MUller, Harold Riegler,

Afforn ey AP-ril 4, 1957 J. MULLER ETAL 3,312,816

CEILING LUMINAIRE Filed March 30. 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Fig] 7| r E n b I l I Fig.7c1. F

lnventors= Josef uller; l-iarul d Riegler,

BY mm Attorney United States Patent 3,312,816 CEILING LUMINAIRE Josef Miiller and Harald Riegler, Neheim-Husten, Germany, assignors to Trilux-Lenze K.G., Neheim-Husten, Germany, a German firm Filed Mar. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 355,691 Claims priority, application Germany, Apr. 16, 1963, T 23,843 Claims. (Cl. 240-78) This invention has reference to luminaires adapted to be recessed into 'a ceiling, and to be arranged inside of a space bounded by a pair of luminaire supports.

This invention has further reference to the installation of luminaires of the aforementioned description into ceiling structures supported by a pair of parallel supports, the ceiling structure defining a gap, or recess, for receiving a luminaire.

The luminaires under consideration are of the kind intended to receive relatively long, tubular fluorescent lamps. They may be closed on the lower side thereof by a light-diffusing panel, or tray, Which may be made of a synthetic-resimglass-cloth laminate.

It is one object of this invention to provide lumin'aires including means of utmost simplicity and ruggedness for securing the luminaires to their supports recessed behind a ceiling structure.

It is another object of this invention to provide luminaires which may be installed in position, and removed from their position, without requiring any structural change, or changes, of the ceiling structure with which they are associated, the only tool necessary for the in stallation of the luminaires being a screw-driver.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved way of securing luminaires to beams, or equivalent means, arranged adjacent a ceiling structure and supporting the latter.

Other objects of the invention and advantages thereof will, in part, be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.

For a more complete understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following description thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a luminaire embodying this invention, and of a portion of a ceiling structure with which the luminaire is associated, the section being taken along 11 of FIG. In;

FIG. 1a is a top-plan view of the structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a modification of the structure of FIG. 1 showing the same in a vertical section taken along 2-2 of FIG.

FIG. 2a is a top-plan view of the structure of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is another modification of the structure of FIG. 1 showing the same in a vertical section taken along 3-3 of FIG. 3a;

FIG. 3a is a topaplan view of the structure of FIG. 3

FIG. 4 is still another modification of the structure of FIG. 1 showing the same in 'a vertical section taken along 44 of FIG. 4a;

FIG. 4a is a top-plan view of the structure of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is a further modification of the structure of FIG. 1 showing the same in a vertical section taken along 5-5 of FIG. 5a;

FIG. 5a is a top-plan view of the structure of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a further modification of the structure of FIG. 1 showing the same in a vertical section taken along 6-6 of FIG. 6a;

FIG. 6a is a top-plan view of the structure of FIG. 6;

FIG. 7 is a further modification of the structure of FIG. 1 showing the same in a vertical section taken along 7-7 of FIG. 7a; and

FIG. 7a is a top-plan view of the structure of FIG. 7.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 and FIG. 1a thereof, reference character 13 has been applied to indicate a luminaire housing rectangular in cross-section and provided with lateral horizontal projections 14 adjacent the lower end thereof. FIGS. 1 and la show only the right side and the left side of the luminaire, the center portion thereof having been broken away, as indicated in these two figures. Reference numeral 12 has been applied to indicate a ceiling structure supported by beams 11 which are T-shaped in cross-see tion. Beams 11 include a vertical web portion and two horizontal flange portions. The ceiling structure 12 is screwed against the outer flange potrion of beams 11 and the lateral projections 14 of the luminaire 13 abut against the lower surfaces of the inner flange portions of beams 11. The ceiling structure 12 may consist of pre-fabricated plates of plaster of Paris. It is apparent from FIG. 1 that the ceiling structure 12 and the supporting beams 11 thereof define a gap, or recess, which accommodates the luminaire housing 13. The lateral ends 15 of projections 14 are bent several times and include a horizontal edge portion engaging a groove defined by a light-diffusing tray 18, thus suspending the latter from projections 14. The housing of the luminaire 13 is held in position by clamping fingers 16 of which but a pair has been shown in FIGS. 1 and in, but of which a larger number may be provided depending upon the specific requirements of any particular instance. As shown in FIG. 1 each clamping finger is U-shaped and comprises a web portion and two flange portions. Screw-threaded bolts, or rods, 17 extend transversely through lateral projections 14 of luminaire housing 13 and engage screw-threaded holes provided in the web portions of clamping fingers 16. As shown in FIG. 1 the outer ends of clamping fingers 16 engage the inner fiange portions of beams 11. The latter are clamped between lateral projections 14 of the housing 13 of the luminaire and the outer flange portions of clan1ping fingers 16, thus holding the luminaire housing 13 firmly in position. The end of each screw-threaded bolt or rod 17 remote from the clamping-finger with which the particular bolt or rod cooperates is provided with a screw-head adapted to be engaged by a screw-driver. The fit of the screw threads joining rods or bolts 17 and clamping fingers 16 is sufiiciently tight to cause joint pivotal modirection, by inserting a screw-driver into their screw-head and turning the screwdriver. In other words, turning screw-threaded bolts or rods 17 results in joint pivotal motions of bolts or rods 17 and of clamping fingers 16 about the axes of bolts or rods 17 relative to luminaire housing 13. The latter is provided with abutment means cooperating with clamping fingers 16 and defining :two limit positions to which clamping fingers may be moved by operation of bolts or rods 17. Upon engagement of such an abutment means by one of the 16 and continued operation of the respec- 17, the clamping finger unable to further follow the rotary motion of the respective rod or bolt 17 moves relative to the respective rod or bolt 17 in a direction longitudinally thereof. This increases the clamping pressure of the respective clamping finger 16 against the beam 11 which is engaged by it, or reduces the clamping pressure of the clamping fingers 16 against the beam which is engaged by it.

The two limit positions between which clamping fingers are movable are clearly shown in FIG. 1a. Reference character 16' has been applied in FIG. la to indicate one of the limit positions of clamping fingers in. That position has been shown in solid lines. It is determined by the engagement between one of the sides of the clamping fingers and the vertical side wall of the housing 13 of the luminaire. The narrow rear side of each clamping finger is provided with an abutment 16a which engages a vertical side wall of the housing of the luminaire 13 upon pivotal motion of the respective clamping finger about an angle of 90 degrees from its first limit position to its second limit position.

When all clamping fingers are in their first limit position shown in FIG. la in solid lines, the luminaire housing 13 may be readily placed into the recess intended to receive it, or removed from said recess. When all clamping fingers are in their second limit position shown in FIG. 1a in dotted lines, then the horizontal flanges of beams 11 are arranged between lateral projections 14 and the clamping fingers and thus the luminaire housing 13 may be firmly held in position. When the latter is in position but a very narrow gap is left between the edges of the sheet of plaster board, or the like, by which the ceiling structure is formed, and the lateral projections 14 of the luminaire 13 and its light-diffusing tray 18, respectively.

The structures shown in FIGS. 2-7a, inclusive, are very similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and la. The former therefore will be described hereinafter only to the extent that they differ significantly from the structure of FIGS. 1 and la.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 2a a pair of parallel T- shaped beams support a ceiling structure made up of plates 21, 22 of plaster board. The left sides of FIGS. 2 and 2a are identical to the left sides of FIGS. 1 and 1a, but the right sides of FIGS. 2 and 2a differ from the right sides of FIGS. 1 and 1a. The right plate 22 of plaster board projects so far to the left that the clamping fingers on the right of the luminaire structure cannot engage the inner flange of the right beam 20. In other words, the spacing of beams 29 exceeds the spacing between the outer ends of the clamping fingers for supporting the luminaire. The clamping fingers to the right of the luminaire housing and the right lateral projection of the latter are in engagement with an angle member 23 screwed against the vertical web portion of the right T-shaped beam 26.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 3a, the ceiling structure shown therein is supported by beams 32 which are substantially Z-shaped in cross-section and include a pair of vertical flanges arranged between a horizontal web. The horizontal webs of beams 32 support vertical angle irons 30 which, in turn, support angle members 31. Each angle member 31 has a horizontal flange clamped between lateral projections of the housing of the luminaire and a plurality of clamping fingers.

The ceiling structure shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a includes a pair of parallel T-shaped beams 49 supporting plaster board plates 43, with the flange portions thereof and being supported by supports 41 arranged at a higher level than beams 40. The inner horizontal flange of the beam shown to the right of FIG. 4 is clamped between the right lateral projection of the housing of the luminaire and one or more clamping fingers 44. The flanges of the beam 40 at the left of FIG. 4 are out of reach of the left lateral projection of the housing of the luminaire and of the clamping fingers 44 arranged at the left of that housing. The left beam 40 is provided with an angle iron 42 or the like member having a horizontal flange against which the left projection of the housing of the luminaire and the clamping fingers on the left side of that housing are screwed under pressure.

The ceiling structure 51 shown in FIGS. 5 and 5a is supported by a pair of parallel pipes 50 intended to carry a heating medium such as, for instance, hot Water or steam. The clamping fingers 52 comprise horizontal flange portions and oblique or slanting web portions. The upper flange portions extend transversely across pipes 56 and are provided with ribs which engage the upper surfaces of pipes 59. The lower flange portions rest against the upper surfaces of the lateral projections of the housing of the luminaire. Pipes 50 are clamped between these projections and the upper flange portions of clam-ping fingers 52.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 6a, the structure shown therein includes a pair of horizontal spaced beams 60 which are of a special design as shown in the aforementioned figures. Beams 6%) support a ceiling structure which is arranged below beams 69. Beams 60 or parts integral with beams 60 form abutments for the lateral projections of the luminaire. Each clamping finger of the structure of FIGS. 6 and 6a comprises a U-shaped member supporting a plate 62 on the vertical web portion thereof. Each plate 62 is provided with a substantially V-shaped cut-out or incision 63 having a wide open end and a narrow closed end. The aforementioned cut-out or incision 63 receives a horizontal flange of beams 6% when the respective clamping finger 61, 62 is pivoted to the position shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6a shows both limit positions of the clamping fingers, the clamping position being indicated by dotted lines and the other limit position being indicated by solid lines.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 7a, the ceiling structure 71 shown therein is suspended from substantially Z- shaped beams 70. The upper flange portions 72 of beams 70 point to the right and the lower flange portions of the beams point to the left, i.e. the arrangement of beams 70 is asymmetrical. The lateral projection at the left of the housing of the luminaire abuts against the lower flange portion of the left beam 70 and supports a U-shaped bracket '73 overlying the upper flange portion 72 of left beam 70. The right beam supports a special bracket 74 clamped against its upper flange portion 72 by means of an auxiliary clamping finger 75. Bracket 74 is provided at the lower end thereof with a flange which forms an abutment for the right lateral projection of the housing of the luminaire and whose upper surface is engaged by the clamping fingers 76.

When installing the structure of FIGS. 7 and 7a the upper flange portion of bracket 73 is placed upon the upper surface of the upper flange portion 72 of the left beam 70. Thereafter the entire luminaire housing is moved to the position shown in FIG. 7 and the clamping fingers 76 are pivoted from their inoperative limit position shown in solid lines in FIG. 7a to their operative limit position or clamping position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 7a and in solid lines in FIG. 7. Finally the screws projecting through the horizontal web portions of clamping fingers 76 are tightened as required to obtain a firm clamping action.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the luminaire housing 13 has a wall bounding a predetermined space which is substantially T-shaped in cross-section or, to be more specific, has in cross-section substantially the shape of an inverted T. The wall of the luminaire housing 13 includes vertical wall portions situated relatively close to the vertical median plane of housing 13 and horizontal wall portions 14 situated relatively remote from the vertical median plane of housing 13. The aforementioned horizontal wall portions 14 are situated adjacent the lower end of housing 13 and project in opposite directions in cantilever fashion from the vertical portions of the wall of housing 13. The clamping fingers 16 are arranged above and abut against the horizontal wall portions of housing 13. The screw-threaded rods or bolts 17 project transversely through horizontal wall portions 14. The outer surface of the wall of housing 13 forms the abutments defining the two limit positions of fingers 16.

While, in accordance with the patent statutes, we have disclosed specific details of several embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that these details are merely illustrative and that many variations thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is our desire, therefore, that the language of the accompanying claims'shall be interpreted as broadly as possible and that it be limited only as required by the prior state of the art.

We claim as our invention:

1. A luminaire adapted to be recessed into a ceiling and to be arranged inside of a space bounded by a pair of luminaire supports, said luminaire comprising in combination:

(a) a luminaire housing having a wall bounding a predetermined space, said Wall including vertical wall portions and horizontal wall portions adjacent the lower end of said housing and projecting in opposite directions away from said vertical wall portions;

(b) clamping fingers arranged above said horizontal wall portions of said luminaire housing each being provided with an abutment engaging one of said horizontal wall portions of said luminaire housing and each being provided with a screw-threaded hole;

(c) screw-threaded rods extending transversely through said horizontal wall portions of said luminaire housing, each cooperatively engaging with one end thereof said screw-threaded hole in one of said clamping fingers and each operable from the opposite end thereof, the fit of the screw-threads joining said rods and said clamping fingers being suificiently tight to cause joint pivotal motions of said clamping fingers with said rods between liimt positions of said clamping fingers; and

(d) the outer surface of said wall of said luminaire housing forming abutments defining said limit positions.

2. A luminaire adapted to be recessed into a ceiling and to be arranged inside of a space bounded by a pair of luminaire supports, said luminaire comprising in combination:

(a) a luminaire housing having an outer wall bounding a predeermined space, said wall including vertical wall portions and horizontal wall portions projecting at right angles in opposite directions from said vertical wall portions of said luminaire housing;

(b) clamping fingers arranged above said horizontal wall portions of said luminaire housing and including horizontal web portions and vertical flange portions, said horizontal web portions of said clamping fingers being provided with screw-threaded holes extending at right angles to said horizontal wall portions of said luminaire housing;

(c) screw threaded bolts extending transversely through said horizontal wall portions of said luminaire housing, each cooperatively engaging with one end thereof one of said screw-threaded holes in one of said clamping fingers and each being provided with a screw head at the opposite end thereof, the fit of the screw-threads joining said bolts and said clamping fingers being sufficiently tight to cause joint pivotal motions of said clamping fingers and said bolts upon turning of said bolts about the axes thereof; and

(d) the outer surface of said wall of said luminaire housing forming abutments cooperating with said clamping fingers to limit the paths of movement of said clamping fingers relative to said luminaire housing to angles of about 90 degrees.

3. An installation of a luminaire comprising in combination:

(a) a ceiling structure defining a gap for receiving a luminaire;

(b) a pair of parallel supports for said ceiling structure arranged above said ceiling structure, said supports including substantially horizontal clamping ele ments integral therewith;

(d) a luminaire housing having an outer wall bounding a predetermined space, said wall including vertical wall portions and horizontal wall portions adjacent the lower end of said housing and projecting in opposite directions away from said vertical wall portions of said housing, said luminaire housing and said horizontal wall portions thereof being fitted into said gap and said horizontal wall portions of said housing abutting against the lower surfaces of said clamping elements;

(e) clamping fingers arranged above said horizontal Wall portions of said luminaire housing each having one end abutting against the upper surfaces of said clamping elements and each being provided with a vertical screw-threaded hole;

(f) screw-threaded bolts extending transversely through said horizontal wall portions of said luminaire housing each cooperatively engaging with one end thereof said screw-threaded hole in one of said clamping fingers and operable from the other end thereof, the fit of the screw-threads joining said clamping fingers and said bolts being sufiiciently tight to cause joint pivotal motions of said clamping fingers with said bolts; and

(g) the outer surface of said wall of said luminaire housing forming abutments cooperating with said clamping fingers to limit the path of the pivotal motions of said clamping fingers relative to said luminaire housing to cause relative motions between said clamping fingers and said bolts.

4. An installation of a luminaire comprising in combination:

(a) a ceiling structure defining a gap for receiving a luminaire;

(b) a pair of parallel beams supporting said ceiling structure arranged above said ceiling structure;

(c) substantially horizontal clamping elements integral with said pair of beams;

(d) a luminaire housing having an outer wall bounding a predetermined space, said wall including vertical wall portions and horizontal wall portions projecting at right angles in opposite directions from said vertical Wall portions of said luminaire housing, said luminaire housing and said horizontal wall portions thereof being fitted into said gap and said horizontal wall portions abutting against the lower surfaces of said clamping elements;

(e) clamping fingers arranged above said horizontal wall portions and including horizontal web portions and vertical flange portions, said horizontal web portions of said clamping fingers being provided with screw-threaded holes extending at right angles to said horizontal wall portions of said luminaire housing;

(f) screw-threaded bolts extending transversely through said horizontal wall portions of said luminaire housings each cooperatively engaging with one end there of one of said screw-threaded holes in one of said horizontal web portions of said clamping fingers, and each being provided with a screw-head at the opposite end thereof, the fit of the screw-threads joining said bolts and said clamping fingers being sufficiently tight to cause joint pivotal motions of said clamping fingers and said bolts upon turning of said bolts about the axes thereof; and

(g) the outer surface of said wall of said luminaire housing cooperating with said clamping fingers for limiting the path of the movement of each of said clamping fingers relative to said luminaire housing to angles of about degrees.

5. A luminaire as specified in claim 1 wherein said horizontal wall portions of said luminaire housing are provided at the ends thereof remote from said vertical wall portions of said luminaire housing with support means for a light diffusing tray, wherein said support means support a light diffusing tray having a bottom surface extending substantially parallel to said horizontal wall portions of said luminaire housing and closing said predetermined space at the lower side thereof, and wherein said screw-threaded rods have screw heads situated inside a space bounded by said luminaire housing and said light diffusing tray.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. C. C. LOGAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A LUMINAIRE ADAPTED TO BE RECESSED INTO A CEILING AND TO BE ARRANGED INSIDE OF A SPACE BOUNDED BY A PAIR OF LUMINAIRE SUPPORTS, SAID LUMINAIRE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A LUMINAIRE HOUSING HAVING A WALL BOUNDING A PREDETERMINED SPACE, SAID WALL INCLUDING VERTICAL WALL PORTIONS AND HORIZONTAL WALL PORTIONS ADJACENT THE LOWER END OF SAID HOUSING AND PROJECTING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AWAY FROM SAID VERTICAL WALL PORTIONS; (B) CLAMPING FINGERS ARRANGED ABOVE SAID HORIZONTAL WALL PORTIONS OF SAID LUMINAIRE HOUSING EACH BEING PROVIDED WITH AN ABUTMENT ENGAGING ONE OF SAID HORIZONTAL WALL PORTIONS OF SAID LUMINAIRE HOUSING AND EACH BEING PROVIDED WITH A SCREW-THREADED HOLE; (C) SCREW-THREADED RODS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THROUGH SAID HORIZONTAL WALL PORTIONS OF SAID LUMINAIRE HOUSING, EACH COOPERATIVELY ENGAGING WITH ONE END THEREOF SAID SCREW-THREADED HOLE IN ONE OF SAID CLAMPING FINGERS, AND EACH OPERABLE FROM THE OPPOSITE END THEREOF, THE FIT OF THE SCREW-THREADS JOINING SAID RODS AND SAID CLAMPING FINGERS BEING SUFFICIENTLY TIGHT TO CAUSE JOINT PIVOTAL MOTIONS OF SAID CLAMPING FINGERS WITH SAID RODS BETWEEN LIMIT POSITIONS OF SAID CLAMPING FINGERS; AND (D) THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID WALL OF SAID LUMINAIRE HOUSING FORMING ABUTMENTS DEFINING SAID LIMIT POSITIONS. 